EN 343
EN 343 is the European standard for protective clothing against rain, classifying garments by water penetration resistance and water vapour resistance.
It applies to finished garments rather than fabric samples, which makes it more meaningful than a fabric rating alone, and it is used mainly for workwear rather than consumer outdoor clothing.
What it classifies
Two properties, each on a class scale: resistance to water penetration, tested before and after pretreatment, and water vapour resistance, which is the breathability side. A garment carries a class for each, so a high waterproofing class with a poor breathability class is possible and common.
Why it is stricter than a fabric number
Because it tests the made-up garment, seams and closures are included. A fabric can pass a high hydrostatic head and the finished jacket still fail, which is precisely the gap that fabric-only ratings hide. See taped seams.
Where you will see it
Mostly on workwear, high-visibility rain gear and professional kit, where compliance is a purchasing requirement. Consumer outdoor brands generally publish fabric hydrostatic head instead. If you are comparing a workwear jacket against an outdoor one, you are comparing two different kinds of claim.
Related terms
- Hydrostatic head: the fabric-level measure
- Taped seams: why garment-level testing is stricter
- Waterproof and breathability ratings explained: the wider comparability problem
- Glossary: all terms